German Federal Cartel Office wants free charging market

The market for e-cars is growing steadily – and with it the market for charging power. With regard to the expansion of the charging infrastructure, the German Federal Cartel Office has now spoken out and opposed regulations being considered by the Ministry of Transport.

Federal Cartel Office for fastest possible expansion

The Federal Cartel Office is aiming for the fastest possible expansion of the charging infrastructure and would like to allow the most open market access possible for this purpose. Behind the statement is the liberal economic idea that a market that is as open as possible in every respect will produce the best solutions due to strong competition. With this view of the problem, the Bundeskartellamt clearly opposes the solution of the so-called Germany Network preferred by the Ministry of Transport.

In the case of the Deutschlandnetz, the Ministry of Transport works with fixed price ceilings which all companies wishing to participate in the network must comply with. The aim is to make a charging station accessible from any location in Germany within a journey time of ten minutes – and as quickly as possible. At the same time, the attractiveness of e-cars is to be increased – which is also to be done by capping prices. Companies that operate charging stations feel pressured by the German government’s plans and fear being forced out of the market, which could run counter to achieving the goal, according to the Federal Cartel Office.

Instead of the current practice of awarding space to preferred partner companies in line with the Germany Network, the Bundeskartellamt is seeking to increase public tenders in order to make the market more liberal and thus more likely to achieve a nationwide network of charging stations if price fixing and the like are abandoned. The President of the Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt, also stated that high prices are annoying, but that systematically excessive prices for charging power cannot be assumed in Germany.